No Left Turn: Two Years of Learning

It’s been two years since I posted my first entry on No Left Turn. It took me some time to find my niche and the courage to continue writing about it. When I began this blog, I thought I was alone in fielding the battle of adulthood. I didn’t share my feelings of career rejection and disappointment with friends because I was too ashamed to say it aloud. I’d vent to my parents who, in their wisdom, reminded me I was lucky to have a job despite dismal economy. It was a sound remark, but it never made me feel any better.

As I wrote in my post on the WSJ, “College is a romantic period, bursting with ambition and reveries of prosperous careers.” After emerging from the stimulating cocoon of academia, I was left grappling with the realization that real life isn't as malleable as mapping out my college courses. Additionally, I mourned the loss of a day-to-day that focused on my own self-development, self-improvement and growth.

It's not that you don't learn in the real world, but your purpose shifts from learning to driving the bottom line. It makes sense, but I still miss attending lectures and spending hours in the library working on a thesis.

I've heard a lot of "non-millennials" shake their fingers at my generation, accusing us of being "know-it-alls," impatient or ungrateful in our careers. I beg to differ. I don't think it's unique to my generation that the transition from college to the real world is difficult, but for us, it's heightened.

All graduates have to adjust after college ends, but we grew up in the Internet boom. Knowledge acquisition wasn't just in the classroom, it was always instantly available at our fingertips. And the loss of the constant gratification of learning, it's deserving of grieving.

I have a friend who makes a lot of money, is one of the few that maintains a great work-life balance, and she is dying to leave her job. The reason? She's not learning. She's great at what she does. She loves her colleagues. But each day she's not growing, she feels she's losing. Her tenure at this post? Just over one year.

I don't think we 20 somethings are too hasty in trading jobs. I think we're addicted to learning. We crave it. We desire it. We have to have it. Learning inspires hope because it allows us to dream that with each new nugget of knowledge, we're worth more. We can do more. We can go further.

In my two (plus) years since receiving a diploma, the primary thing I've learned is that I love learning. And where I'm happiest in my career is where I can continue to indulge in even a sliver of that selfish passion for learning. If I can impart of piece of advise on anyone lost in the pursuit of career, it's to go where you never stop learning.

American Insomnia

Yesterday Business Insider published an infographic showcasing the value of getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night. The graphic broke down the adverse health affects for depriving your body of sleep - including obesity, increased risk of breast cancer and even death.

I don't think it comes as any surprise that it's healthier to get more rest, but I am not sure how feasible it is to maintain the recommended routine. On average, I get 6 - 6.5 hours of sleep nightly. While not a far cry from the daily recommendations, my weekly deficit lingers around 30 percent. It's not irresponsibility to blame - I work 50-60 hours with an hour commute, volunteer and play in a soccer league. Unless I entirely trim out any personal activities, there isn't a way to allocate more time to R&R. And this dilemma is widespread: Business Insider notes that 93 percent of Americans do not get enough sleep.

In chatting with my fellow 20-something cohorts, I find that I'm not alone in heading out the front door before 6 a.m. to face a 12-13 hour work day. We commiserate on the fact that the phrase "I'm too tired," is truly part of our Friday vernacular. But of course we're always reminded that we're lucky to have jobs...

I wouldn't categorize this posting as a complaint, but rather reflective on the reality of American careers. Americans pride ourselves on career - we live to work - but nearly our entire population is on the brink of submitting to life threatening illnesses in order to"get ahead." The recession is the only economy I've known, and I'm dying to know: is this grueling work pace a sign of a fledgling economy or is the American dream now better termed 'American insomnia'?

Into the Abyss: Review of Tablet Reading

Despite my tech addiction, I swore I’d never convert to an e-reader. I found comfort in the practice of turning pages, found character in a worn book and was entranced by the cozy sensation of my overflowing bookshelves. But Christmas morning, I unwrapped a beautiful, sleek and posh iPad 2 along with a gift card to the App Store. While I contemplated buying some games or apps with the free cash, I couldn’t contain myself when I saw that the book I’d been craving – In the Garden of the Beasts – was available for download and instant gratification.

As the book downloaded – in only a matter of seconds – I glanced back to look at my bookshelf crammed with warped books, spines swelling from my habit of dog-earing and carelessly spilling coffee onto pages. “Just this once, I promise,” I silently apologized.

Aside from being able to instantly access any book of choice when on the go, I love the ability to look up a name or word from within the book. If you’ve ever read an Erik Larson book, then you know his diction is delicious. Larson makes words dance in ways I wasn’t aware they could, and I love that I can tap a word while reading to read its various definitions. And since In the Garden of the Beast features a lengthy roster of characters, I find it useful to refresh my memory and look up historical figures using Wikipedia integration without disrupting the story.

But I do have some complaints. Reading on an iPad feels a lot like reading on the computer. Though I sport glasses for working on a computer, my eyes are still resilient enough to escape the lenses while reading books. However, since the iPad’s screen glares and features a stark white background, I’m forced to retrieve my glasses each time I indulge in some more reading.

Like a preferred plush animal of a young child, I love my books hard. I’m at times reckless with them, dripping coffee and smudging chocolate on its pages, tossing the book into a cluttered bag that mercilessly bends the pages into awkward positions. I also habitually fall asleep while reading, often waking up the next morning to find my book fallen on the floor or smashed under my pillows. But with the iPad 2, I have to take care when toting it along or reading in bed. I must gingerly place it in a safe and secure place where I know no harm will come to it. It’s a bit of a burden compared to my normal routine. I also admit that I miss the slight din of cracking a book’s spine and the smell of the pages as I quickly strum my thumb along page edges.

With the iPad 2, I don’t feel the same escape I typically find when reading a good book. When I have a book I love, I feel myself melting away into its pages. But the iPad 2 also hosts email, Facebook, Twitter, games and an assortment of other convenient distractions that inhibit the sensation of truly being alone with a book. Additionally, I love passing along a good read to friends. With the book lodged on my iPad, I’m sad that I’m unable to be the purveyor of good books.

Overall, the iPad 2 offers convenience for the reader, but it doesn’t offer the same satisfaction. When on the go, or too impatient to shuffle over to the book store, I’ll consider the iPad. But in general, I’ll be spending my cash on the good old thing.